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As could be expected, some
elements within the local community have discovered that there is good
money to be made with ayahuasca. They approach gringo’s in the
street; “Ayahuasca? Ayahuasca?” It reminds me of the scum
hanging out on the street corners in poor inner city neighborhoods, dealing
drugs. There is no control; there are no laws, because the sale and use of
ayahuasca is not illegal. Especially young, adventurous and naïve
tourists can be persuaded to do business with these types, often with
terrible results.
Tourists who really are looking for a bonafide shaman
who can provide them with a spiritual experience are sometimes cheated as
well. On the internet it is the charlatans, not the shamans, who offer
their services, often at enormously inflated rates of hundreds of dollars
per person. A real shaman doesn’t charge more than 30 or 40 dollars.
I know of one case where the so-called ‘shaman’ lives so close
to town, that he has people brought to his house via a huge detour, just to
give them the impression that he lives on a remote location in the forest.
But, apart from being
overcharged, some tourists become victims of robbery, theft, or sexual
assault. People under the influence of ayahuasca usually can’t tell
the difference between what’s real and what’s illusion and are
completely dependent on the ‘shaman’ for their well-being. On
the internet one can easily find many horror stories about these practices.
And finally, there is the
matter of health. As I pointed out before, ayahuasca is a very potent
potion. Those who use it without proper preparation, or even worse, in
combination with drugs or alcohol, take a real risk. In Iquitos, everyone
knows the stories about gringos who lost control and went crazy after using
a combination of ayahuasca with other substances. Many end up in the
hospital. In Iquitos, that is no guarantee that you will get better! There
are stories about the unfortunate ones who didn’t survive to tell the
tale as well, but personally I cannot confirm any of those.
I am not against the use of
ayahuasca. On the contrary; I think that, under the right circumstances,
with the guidance of a genuine shaman, it can be a fascinating and
enhancing experience. The problem is the lack of a supervisory body that
can advise and give recommendations and that can take action against bad
practices. There are plans to start a shamanic center in Iquitos, where
people can go for information, advice and bookings. Everyone, both shamans
as well as tourists, would benefit from such a center. But for the moment
there is no such thing yet. Until that time, one can only give tourists a
couple of tips; a real shaman never drinks alcohol and never charges you up
front. True, it isn’t much, but it may give you an indication.
If you are looking for an authentic
shamanic experience of bodily and spiritual cleansing and enrichment,
ikitos.com can help. We work with some bonafide, qualified shamans, where
you can participate in the authentic ayahuasca ceremony. We guarantee the
authenticity of the ritual, the quality of the experience and YOUR SAFETY.
You will pay an honest price for an honest shaman. Contact
ikitos.com and we will take care of everything
for you.
Those who just want to get
high and have a wild time; just stay away.
Iquitos has no use for your
kind of tourism; we have more than enough problems already.
Read Caleb
Whitaker’s blog posts about ayahuasca: God’s
Cartographers and A Love Story
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